Growth hormone transcription factor

ABSTRACT

Taught is how to make a growth hormone transcription factor that is useful for the control of gene expression and growth rate in organisms.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The invention described in the current application was also disclosed in provisional application 60/258,237, filed Dec. 25, 2000, from which priority is claimed.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

[0002] Research support which led to the making of the present invention was provided in part by funding from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. IBN-9600805. Accordingly, the federal government may possess certain statutory rights to the invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The invention relates to a growth hormone transcription factor.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

[0004] Cell-specific gene expression leads to the exclusive production of secreted hormones by selected cell types in the anterior pituitary. These hormones are produced in differentiated cells through selective processes of transcriptional and translational control. In addition, each cell type displays a distinctive pattern of differentiation during development, and specific neuroendocrine regulation.

[0005] Transcriptional control of the growth hormone (GH) gene resides primarily in the promoter region that contains multiple transcription factor response elements. Pit-1, also known as GHF-1, is a prototypical POU-domain protein which was isolated by virtue of its ability to activate transcription of the GH gene by binding to the GH promoter at two sites. Pit-1 was also found to regulate transcription of the prolactin and TSH beta-subunit genes. Expression of all these genes is pituitary-specific, implying a central role of Pit-1 as a transcription factor controlling pituitary development and differentiation. The important role of Pit-1 in the regulation of anterior pituitary differentiation was confirmed by the identification of Pit-1 mutations as the causes of congenital hypopituitary dwarfism in the Snell dwarf mouse and in humans.

[0006] Because Pit-1 promotes transcription of three distinct hormones, other transcription factors must establish the specificity of GH production in somatotrophs. One such protein was isolated by virtue of its binding to an 18 base pair (bp) Z-box response element (ZRE) conserved among mammals in the GH promoter. The protein that bound to the ZRE contained 15 consensus sequences for DNA-binding zinc fingers, and was named Zn-15. It was also shown that in synergy with Pit-1, Zn-15 activates GH transcription 100-fold above basal levels. The importance of Zn-15 in the physiological regulation of GH gene expression was shown when mutations in the ZRE in the GH promoter abrogated pituitary expression of a reporter gene in transgenic animals. See Lipkin et al., Genes Devel. 7, 1674.

[0007] Although Zn-15 plays an important synergistic role in GH transcriptional control, only the C-terminal portion appears to be necessary for this synergism. Zinc fingers IX, X and XI have been shown to bind to the ZRE in the GH promoter, but DNA binding elements recognized by the remaining 12 zinc fingers of rat Zn-15 have not been found. Some of these fingers in the rat are separated by long linker regions of 20 or more amino acids, a structural feature evidently determinative of DNA binding or transcriptional activation. Zn-15 protein also can bind to a subset of thyroid response elements using fingers IX-XI, and may bind to RNA as well as DNA using the zinc fingers in the N-terminus of the protein. In order to effect cell type-specific regulation of GH, appropriate use must be made of the linkers and zinc fingers which do not bind the ZRE. See Tuggle and Trenkle, Domes. Anim. Endocrinol. 13, 1.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The invention relates to a growth hormone transcription factor that is useful for the control of gene expression and growth rate in organisms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention is useful, inter alia, for the control of cell-type specific regulation of GH in mammals, including, importantly, the mouse. Pituitary differentiation has been extensively studied in the mouse, where both transgenic and spontaneous GH-deficient mutants are available. To make a representative embodiment of the present invention, a mouse cDNA, hereinafter called mouse Zn-16 or mZn-16, was isolated. Expression of mouse Zn-16 mRNA was detected in 1 day old normal and GH-deficient Ames dwarf (Prop-1<df−/−>) mouse pituitary samples, as well as in the murine pre-somatotrophic GHFT1-5 cell line, see Lew et al., Genes Development 7, 683, consistent with a developmental role for Zn-16.

[0010] To demonstrate an aspect of the invention, comparison between the GH-altered Ames dwarf (Prop-1<df−/−>), Snell dwarf (Pit-1<dw^(J)−/−), little (GHRHR, <lit−/−>) transgenic GHRH excess (MT, GHRF, Bri 11) and normal littermate mouse pituitaries showed predicted changes in GH mRNA, as well as other changes in hormone products that had not been previously evaluated or reported. Such quantitative analysis suggests that changes in the regulation of factors functioning in the GH homeostatic regulatory system are consistent with a role for Zn-16 in GH transcriptional control.

[0011] Animals, Cell Culture and Isolation of RNA. Normal and Ames dwarf mice maintained in a breeding colony were sacrificed by carbon dioxide euthanasia. The day of birth (by 1400 hrs) was termed day 1. Adult rat pituitaries were obtained by the same procedure. Pituitaries were collected on dry ice, then stored at −70° C. until extracted. GHFT1-5 cells were obtained from Dr. Pamela Mellon (Univ. of California, San Diego), and cultured as described, see Lew et al., supra. Pituitaries and cells were first homogenized (Tissue Tearor, BioSpec, Bartlesville Okla.) in extraction buffer. RNA extraction was performed using the guanidinium-isothiocyanate:phenol:chloroform method as modified by the manufacturer (RNAzol B or Ultraspec, Biotecx, Houston, Tex.). Purity and concentration were checked by UV spectrophotometry (GeneQuant, Pharmacia, Piscataway N.J.).

[0012] Reverse Transcription. The RNA pellet was briefly dried before resuspension in 0.1 μM oligo-dT for subsequent reverse transcription of poly-A RNA using the SuperScript II Preamplification System (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The reaction was carried out in a 20 μl volume containing 200 units of MMLV reverse transcriptase at 45° C. for 60 minutes, then the enzyme was denatured by heating at 65° C. for 15 minutes. Hybridized RNA was removed by digestion with 2 units of E. coli RNase H. The volume was then brought to 50 μl with diethylpyrocarbonate-treated water and stored at −20° C. UV absorbance at 260 nm was measured on a GeneQuant spectrophotometer (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) in a 50 μl cuvette.

[0013] Primer Design. The sequence of rat Zn-15 (accession number L23077) was obtained from GenBank. Prospective primer pairs were computer designed (Right Primer 1.2, BioDisk, San Francisco Calif. or Oligo 4.0, National Biosciences, Plymouth Minn.) using the following criteria: location with respect to zinc fingers, match of T_(m) between the primers, possible secondary structure within the primers, self-hybridization, and hybridization between primers. Primers were synthesized, quantified by UV spectrophotometry (Pharmacia GeneQuant), and stored desiccated at −70° C.

[0014] PCR Amplification. Standard PCR conditions for cDNA amplification included each dNTP at a concentration of 0.2 mM and 1.25 U of Taq polymerase in a final volume of 50 μl. Amplifications were performed in a Model TC-1 thermal cycler (Perkin Elmer-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). Amplification reactions were initiated with a hot-start using wax beads (Perkin Elmer) to separate the primers, MgCl₂, and dNTPs (Lower master mix) from the DNA template and Taq polymerase (Upper master mix). Thermal cycling conditions consisted of initial denaturation for 60 s at 94° C.; followed by a 3-step profile (94° C. for 60 s; 54° C. for 45 s; and 72° C. for 90 s) for the desired number of cycles, and a terminal extension step of 72° C. for 5 min. For some reactions, a final, non-template dependent extension was carried out at 60° C. for 30 min.

[0015] Sequencing Methods, Strategy and Analysis. PCR products from amplification reactions were cloned according to the manufacturer's instructions (TA Cloning Kit, InVitrogen, San Diego Calif.). Ligation reactions were incubated at 14° C. overnight, and then transformed into E. coli INValphaF cells (InVitrogen). Colonies with putative inserts were cultured overnight in 2×YT or TB containing 100 μg/ml ampicillin (Sigma). Bacteria were lysed and plasmid DNA was isolated with a commercial DNA binding matrix (PERFECTprep Plasmid DNA kit, 5 Prime->3 Prime, Boulder Colo.). Restriction digestion with EcoRI followed by agarose gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the presence of inserts prior to sequencing. DNA sequencing reactions were performed using 400 ng of plasmid template and fluorescent dye-labeled dideoxy terminators with AmpliTaq FS DNA polymerase according to the manufacturer's protocol (PRISM Ready Reaction DyeDeoxy Terminator kit, Applied Biosystems, Inc., Foster City Calif.). Thermal cycler conditions were 30 sec. at 96° C., 15 sec. at 50° C., and 4 min. at 60° C. for a total of 25 cycles. Unreacted fluorescent dye-labeled dideoxy terminators were removed from the sequencing reactions using size exclusion gel columns (CentriSep, Princeton Separations, Inc., Adelphia N.J.). Sequencing reactions were electrophoresed on an automated sequencer (Applied Biosystems Model 373A) using a 36 cm well-to-read 6% acrylamide gel (Sooner Scientific, Garvin Okla.) at 28 watts constant power for 10 hours. Data collected on a Macintosh computer were evaluated for ambiguities and “clear” sequence length using Factura 1.2.Or6 software (Applied Biosystems, Inc.). Sequences were aligned using GeneWorks 2.45 software (Oxford BioMolecular, San Diego Calif.) and remaining ambiguities in the electropherograms were resolved from overlapping information, manual inspection, or resequencing. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence data were analyzed, aligned and compared with reported sequences using GeneWorks and Statistical Analysis of Protein Sequences. See Brendel et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 2002.

[0016] Ribonuclease Protection Assay. Total RNA extracted from pituitaries or cells was subjected to ribonuclease protection assay using non-radioactive probe synthesis and detection according to the manufacturer's protocol (RPA II/BrightStar systems, Ambion, Austin Tex.). A 651 nt probe from positions 840 to 1490 of mZn-15 was employed, and a 250 nt probe for mouse beta-actin was used as a control. Chemiluminescence after substrate treatment was visualized on x-ray film (Fuji RX) and then quantified using constant intensity illumination (FotoDyne, Madison Wis.), a CCD video camera (Hamamatsu C2400) or scanner (Nikon) and computer assisted image analysis (Gel-Pro Analyzer, Media Cybernetics).

[0017] Mouse Zn-16 cDNA Isolation and Characterization. In order to obtain a probe for mouse (m) Zn-16, mouse pituitary RNA was reverse transcribed using an oligo-dT primer and then amplified using gene-specific oligonucleotide primers which annealed to zinc fingers 1× and XI of rat (r) Zn-15, the region that binds to the GH promoter. Cloned products near the expected size of 506 bp in the rat were found to have a similar DNA sequence, and were used as probes in hybridization screens of a mouse pituitary cDNA library previously constructed in the isolation of mLIM-3. See Seidah et al., DNA 13, 1163. However, no positive colonies were found through several rounds of hybridization. Therefore, the majority of the coding region of mZn-16 cDNA was isolated by amplification using primers specific for different zinc fingers of rZn-15, and the 5′ and 3′ ends were isolated using rapid amplification of cDNA ends.

[0018] Six portions of mZn-16 of at least 1500 bp were independently amplified, cloned and sequenced. Sequences were obtained in both directions from multiple clones of each fragment, and then aligned to assemble the entire cDNA sequence of 6879 nucleotides. The full-length mZn-16 cDNA sequence was assembled from overlapping regions of at least 1500 bp.

[0019] The open reading frame in the mZn-16 cDNA as shown in SEQ ID:NO 1 encodes a polypeptide as shown in SEQ ID:NO 2. The mZn-16 amino acid sequence of 2292 amino acids has several additional aa that are not present in rZn-15, particularly in the N-terminus. There are four in-frame methionine residues upstream from the initial methionine in the rat, for additional translational start sites not reported in the rat. A feature of the protein that has been identified based on computer analysis are several regions (aa 830-845, 1550-1567, 1999-2016) encoding consensus eukaryotic nuclear localization signals, see Robbins et al., Cell 64, 615.

[0020] Importantly, multiple zinc fingers of the Cys2His2-type, see Berg and Shi, Science 271, 1081, similar to those found in rZn-15, are present in mZn-16. There is 97% amino acid identity between the zinc fingers of rZn-15 and mZn-16. However, the four differences in mZn-16 in finger V change three proline residues. This region of mZn-16 is now predicted to contain two consensus zinc fingers, designated as Va and Vb in FIG. 2B, and finger Va now agrees at all positions with the zinc finger consensus sequence. Changed residues in fingers II, IX, X and XIII are conservative substitutions, and substitutions in regions outside the fingers would not be predicted to have any impact on zinc coordination or DNA binding, see Berg and Shi, Science 271, 1081. As found in rZn-15, there are extended linker regions between the zinc fingers in mZn-16, particularly in the C-terminal half of the protein. The largest region of consecutive difference between mouse Zn-16 and rat Zn-15 is found in the linker between fingers VII and VIII (aa 845 to 860 in mZn-16), where only two of the 14 consecutive residues are similar.

[0021] Mouse Zn-16 mRNA expression in Normal and Ames dwarf pituitaries. Zn-16 expression in normal and GH-deficient Ames dwarf (Prop-1<df−/−>) mouse pituitaries was studied at the day of birth (postnatal day one). Total RNA was isolated, reverse transcribed using oligo-dT priming, then amplified using primers in fingers IX-XI for 30 cycles. The amount of 503 bp product of these amplifications was then determined using image analysis of ethidium bromide-stained gels. Samples in which no pituitary cDNA was added as control showed no amplification. The average relative image intensity of the bands was determined for normal and Ames dwarf mice (n=3). At one day of age, there was no significant difference in the expression of Zn-16 between normal and Ames dwarf pituitary.

[0022] Mouse Zn-16 mRNA Expression in GHFT1-5 pre-somatotroph cells. The expression of Zn-16 mRNA in Ames dwarf pituitaries suggested that Zn-16 might be expressed in the mouse cell line GHFT1-5, which is derived by immortalization of pituitary cells with a Pit-1 promoter-driven large T antigen construct. These cells have been characterized as pre-somatotrophs, but they do not express Pit-1 protein or GH mRNA. Probes were produced to measure the expression of mZn-15 mRNA in total RNA using ribonuclease protection assays (RPA). Total RNA was isolated either from ca. 30 pooled mouse pituitaries or 107 GHFT1-5 cells, and used for RPA for either Zn-16 or actin mRNA in each sample. Actin mRNA was assayed to serve as a control for each sample in a 5 μg RNA aliquot. The size of the protected fragment for Zn-16 was the same in both pituitary and GHFT1-5 samples, and was of the size predicted from the length of homologous probe sequences (651 nt). In comparing the pituitary and GHFT1-5 samples, the detectable amounts of mZn-16 were different, suggesting that Zn-16 expression levels varied between normal pituitary and GHFT1-5 samples.

[0023] The further description found immediately below shows Zn-16 function in the transcriptional regulatory control of pituitary GH expression.

[0024] Animal care and use. Male mice 3-4 months old were used in this study. Mice were euthanized with carbon dioxide anesthesia, then individual pituitaries were removed using washed instruments and stored in single tubes at −70° C.

[0025] RNA preparation. Total RNA was extracted from individual mouse pituitaries using a modified phenol/chloroform/guanidinium protocol (Ultraspec; Biotecx, Houston, Tex.). The RNA pellet was briefly dried before resuspension in 0.1 μM oligo-dT for subsequent reverse transcription of poly-A RNA using the SuperScript II Preamplification System (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The volume was brought to 50 μl with diethylpyrocarbonate-treated water for storage at −20° C. UV absorbance at 260 nm was measured on a GeneQuant spectrophotometer (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) in a 50 μl cuvette.

[0026] PCR. Primers were selected for specificity for mouse mRNAs, high annealing temperature, and absence of secondary structure using the computer programs Right Primer (BioDisk, San Francisco, Calif.) and Oligo 5.0 (National Biosciences, Plymouth, Minn.). Standard cDNA amplification reactions included each dNTP at a concentration of 0.2 mM and 1.25 U of Taq polymerase in a final volume of 50 μl. The fluorescent dye-labeled dUTPs ([F]dUTP) used for labeling were [R110], [R6G], or [TAMRA] (ABI; Foster City, Calif.). [F]dUTPs were diluted for a constant addition volume of 0.1 μl per reaction. Amplifications were performed in a Model TC-1 thermal cycler (ABI). Amplification reactions were initiated with a hot-start using AmpliWax PCR Gem 50 beads (ABI). Thermal cycling conditions consisted of initial denaturation for 60 s at 94° C.; followed by a 3-step profile (94° C. for 60 s; 54° C. for 45 s; and 72° C. for 90 s) for the desired number of cycles, and a terminal extension step of 72° C. for 5 min. For some reactions, a final, non-template dependent extension was carried out at 60° C. for 30 min. After amplification, unincorporated primers and dNTPs were removed by centrifugation through Centricon-50 or Microcon-30 filters (Amicon, Beverly, Mass.) filters. Products were analyzed on 12 cm well-to-read (WTR) gels composed of 10% Long Ranger (FMC BioProducts, Rockland, Me.) with a 373A instrument using GeneScan 1.2 software. Electrophoresis was performed with power limiting at 12W in 0.5×TBE buffer. Samples were mixed with a ROX-dye labeled size marker (ROX-500, ABI) and a sucrose- or Ficoll-bromophenol blue dye solution before loading on the gel. Results were statistically analyzed using the computer programs Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, Wash.) and SuperANOVA (Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, Calif.).

[0027] Comparison of transcript abundance. In order to compare product intensities among a large number of amplification reactions, the fluorescence detection and sizing capacity of an automated sequencing instrument was used. Amplifications were performed in the presence of fluorescence-labeled dUTP, which was detectable during electrophoresis. Fluorescence labeled products were examined for molecular weight compared to the standards present in each lane as an internal control, and for peak intensity from the processed electropherograms. From peak heights and the calculated efficiency, the transcript abundance was determined as related by the equation in Gilliland et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 2725. For normal littermates and GH-affected mice, pituitaries were amplified for GH, Zn-16 and Pit-1 abundance. The results, expressed as percentage of normal littermate expression, were: mouse type GH Zn-16 Pit-1 Ames dwarf 0 4.5 0 Snell dwarf 0 5.9 0.2 Little 1.3 5.9 2.9 GHRH giant 242.4 198.2 199.8

[0028] Simple regression correlation tests showed that there was a significant correlation (p<0.001) for Pit-1 vs. GH (F_(1.17), 26.82) and Zn-16 vs. GH (F_(1.17)=12.48). This correlation from an in vivo model implicates Zn-16 function in the transcriptional regulatory control of pituitary GH expression.

[0029] Further embodiments of aspects of the invention are described below.

[0030] In an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, a Zn-16-expressing construct with inducible control by exogenous factors (e.g., tetracycline) is stably transfected into mammalian cells (e.g., GC cells). The transfected cells are placed within a permeable membrane for immunological protection (“hollow fiber”). The hollow fiber containing the transfected cells is implanted into the kidney capsule of a patient who has undergone surgery. The cells within the hollow fiber express GH regulated by the Zn-16 which is induced by the physician (e.g., with tetracycline) as needed to promote healing. In a preferred embodiment, localized administration of GH expression is provided by implantation of the hollow fiber unit during the surgery, where compatible with needed removal processes. Such an embodiment of the invention is useful for enhancing GH production, desired in particular during the healing process, promoting tissue regeneration and lessening the need for invasive repetitive injections.

[0031] In another embodiment of an aspect of the invention, a Zn-16-expressing construct with inducible control by exogenous factors (e.g., tetracycline) is stably transfected into mammalian IQ cells (e.g., GC cells). The transfected cells are placed within a permeable membrane for immunological protection (“hollow fiber”). The hollow fiber containing the transfected cells is implanted into the kidney capsule of a patient who has experienced severe burns. The cells within the hollow fiber express GH regulated by the Zn-16 which is de-induced by the physician (e.g., with tetracycline) after promoting healing. Such an embodiment of the invention is useful for enhancing GH production, desired in particular during the healing process, promoting tissue regeneration and lessening the need for invasive repetitive injections.

[0032] In yet another embodiment of an aspect of the invention, a Zn-16-expressing construct with inducible control by exogenous factors (e.g., tetracycline) is stably transfected into mammalian cells (e.g., GC cells). The transfected cells are placed within a permeable membrane for immunological protection (“hollow fiber”). The hollow fiber containing the transfected cells is implanted into the kidney capsule of a patient who has experienced muscle wasting, as is observed, for example, in later-stage HIV-infected patients. The cells within the hollow fiber express GH regulated by the Zn-16 which is subject to control by the physician (e.g., with tetracycline) for the optimal control of healing and the lessening of the pace of muscle wasting. Such an embodiment of the invention is useful for enhancing GH production, desired in particular during the healing process, promoting tissue regeneration and lessening the need for invasive repetitive injections.

[0033] In certain embodiments of the invention, Zn-16 is administered to a patient. As used in this application, “administration” includes the implantation of a construct or a host cell containing a Zn-16 nucleic acid sequence or, more generally, encoding the Zn-16 polypeptide, for instance as described above. That is, administration of Zn-16 is effected also by the administration to a patient, or the implantation into a patient, of a construct encoding the Zn-16 polypeptide.

[0034] In an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, Zn-16 is used to alter gene expression in a patient who has a pituitary tumor. In a preferred embodiment, Zn-16 and somatostatin are co-administered to the patient. Upon administration, the somatostatin binds its receptor, is internalized, and the Zn-16 alters gene expression in such a way as to ameliorate the effects of the tumor.

[0035] In another embodiment of an aspect of the invention, Zn-16 is used to control expression of proteins whose expression is otherwise driven by other zinc finger proteins. In a particular embodiment, Zn-16 is administered to a patient suffering from a cancer that is characterized by the overexpression of proteins whose expression is driven by zinc finger proteins other than Zn-16. The administered Zn-16 blocks the overexpression driven by other zinc finger proteins and slows tumor growth.

[0036] In another embodiment, Zn-16 is affixed to a surface. The presence of heavy metals is detected by their binding to the affixed Zn-16. Methods of the detection of subtle changes in binding, such as surface plasmon resonance or methods capable of detection of small changes in potential difference across a very limited space, enable the detection of very low concentrations of heavy metals when the metals bind Zn-16. In a particular embodiment, Zn-16 is preloaded with one heavy metal, and displacement of that heavy metal is measured.

[0037] In another embodiment, Zn-16 is used as a heavy-metal responsive factor that indicates contamination levels. In such an embodiment, Zn-16-driven expression of a reporter gene changes when there is a change in the heavy metal concentration. Changes in the concentration of not only zinc but also other heavy metals such as mercury and lead are detected.

[0038] In yet another embodiment, the heavy-metal-binding property of Zn-16 is exploited to ameliorate the adverse effect on a patient of heavy metal exposure. By virtue of its heavy-metal-binding property, Zn-16 serves as a sink that binds excess heavy metal that is toxic to key tissues in the patient, such as liver and kidney.

[0039] In another embodiment, Zn-16 is pre-administered to a human to prevent the adverse effect on the human of anticipated heavy metal exposure. A human anticipating participation in cleanup of heavy metal environmental contamination, for example from a spill of stored liquids or from radioactive fallout, self-pre-administers Zn-16, which binds environmental heavy metals to lessen harm to the human. The Zn-16 is a reservoir for the metals which otherwise pose a danger to the human.

[0040] In another embodiment of an aspect of the invention, Zn-16 is administered to a human patient who has diabetes or, more generally, experiences dysregulation of expression or availability of insulin or insulin-like growth factor. The administered Zn-16 regulates the expression of GH to alter levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor and ameliorates the patient's condition.

[0041] In an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, Zn-16 is used in a method of controlling the expression of gene products at a multiplicity of loci in the genome of an organism, said method comprising: the site-directed or random mutagenesis of Zn-16 to encode an altered polypeptide, said altered polypeptide possessing an affinity for a transcriptional regulatory factor different from the affinity of the polypeptide of Zn-16 for said transcriptional regulatory factor; the formation of an assemblage of said transcriptional regulatory factor with said altered polypeptide; and the direction of said expression at said loci by said assemblage. In a particular embodiment, the altered polypeptide binds a multiplicity of transcriptional regulatory factors to form the assemblage. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the method controls the expression of gene products throughout the entire genome of the organism, allows specific targeting of gene promoters, and creates a controllable platform to assemble other transcriptional regulatory factors.

[0042] In another embodiment, Zn-16 is modified to have temperature-responsive zinc binding. This modified Zn-16 is useful as a temperature-dependent regulator of gene expression.

[0043] In another embodiment, a cell or tissue sample is taken from a patient. Nucleic acids from the patient are extracted from the sample. Hybridization of the patient's nucleic acids to the nucleic acid encoding Zn-16 is measured. Detection of a difference between the hybridization of the patient's sample and the hybridization of a control sample is useful in the diagnosis of dwarfism, gigantism, hypothyroidism, and other disorders of metabolism.

[0044] The invention is not limited to the exact details of operation, or to the exact compositions, methods, procedures, or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. As the invention would therefore be limited only by the full scope which could reasonably, legally and equitably be accorded any of the appended claims, the foregoing examples are provided merely by way of illustration of the breadth of the present invention, which exceeds any and all of these examples.

1 2 1 6879 DNA Mus musculus 1 atgttataca accagccaga ccagaaatat gatgaagaga atcttccaat accaaattct 60 ctacgttgtg agctcttact tgttttgaaa actcagtggc cctttgatcc agaattttgg 120 gattggaaaa ctttgaagcg ccagtgtctt gctctcatgg gagaagaggc gtctattgtg 180 tcctcaattg atgaactgaa tgacagtgaa gtctatgaga aagtagacta ccagggtgaa 240 aggggagaca catctgtgaa tggcctttct gctgctggac ttggtactga ttctggcctg 300 ctgatggata ctggtgatga aaagcagaag aagaaagaga taaaagaatt aaaagatagg 360 gggtttatat ctgctaggtt taggaattgg caagcctaca tgcagtattg tttgctctgt 420 gacaaagaat tccttggaca cagaatagta cggcatgctc aaaaacatta caaagatggg 480 atttacagct gtcccatatg tgcaaagaat tttaattcta aagactcgtt tgtccctcat 540 gttaccctgc atgttaaaca gtctagtaaa gagagactag cagctatgaa gccattaaga 600 agattgggaa ggcctcctaa aatcacagcc acccatgaaa atcaaaagac taatattaat 660 actgtggcta aacaggaaca gcgacccata aaaaagaata gtctttattc aacagatttc 720 atagtgttta atgacaacga tggttcagat gatgaaaatg acgacaagga caagtcttat 780 gagcccgagg tgatccctgt ccagaaacca gtacctgtta atgagtttaa ttgtcctgtg 840 accttttgta aaaagggctt taagtacttc aaaaatttaa ttgctcatgt gaaaggccat 900 aaggatagtg aagatgccaa acgctttctt gaaatgcaaa gcaagaaagt catttgccag 960 tactgtagaa ggcactttgt aagcgtcact catctcaatg atcacttaca aatgcactgt 1020 ggcagtaagc catatatatg tatacagatg aaatgtaagg ctggttttaa tagttacgca 1080 gagctgttag cccaccgaaa ggagcatcaa gtctttagag caaagtgctt atttccaaaa 1140 tgtggcagaa ttttttccca agcttattta ctgtatgatc atgaggccca acattataat 1200 acgtacacgt gcaagttcac aggttgtggt aaggtgtacc gttctcagag cgagatggag 1260 aagcaccagg atggccacag tcatcctgaa acagggctgc ctcctgaaga ccagcttcag 1320 ccatctggaa atgatgtgaa tccggactca ggagcgacgg ctgcaggagg aaggtccgag 1380 aacagcattg acaagaacct gggttcaaac agaagtgcag attgggagaa aaacagagca 1440 gagccagctg tgactaaaca cggccagatc tctgccgctg aactcaggca agctaacata 1500 ccattgtcaa atggtctgga aacccgtgat aatactactg ttcttcggac caatgaagta 1560 gctgtgtcca tcaaggtgtc tgtcaaccat ggggtagagg gtgactttgg aaagcaagaa 1620 aacctaacca tggaaggcac tggtgagccg ctgatcacag atgtgcataa accaggtata 1680 ggtgctgggg tccagttatg tcatccaggt ttccaagaaa agaaaggtca cgagtgcctg 1740 aacgaagccc agaattcttt atcaaactca gaatcactga agatggatga ccttaaccca 1800 caaagcttag aaagacaggt gaacactctg atgacctttt ctgtacaaaa tgaggcagga 1860 cttgaagaca attcacaaat ttgcaagttt gaatgtggag gtgatgttaa aacctcatcc 1920 agcctttatg atttacctct taagacacta gaaagtatca catttgttca gtcacagccc 1980 gacctaagca gtccgttggg atctccatca gtacctccaa aagctccagg tcagaagttc 2040 agctgccagg ttgagggatg cactcgaaca tataactctt cacagagtat tggaaaacac 2100 atgaagacag cacaccctga ccaatatgct gcttttaaac tgcagcgcaa gacgaaaaaa 2160 ggtcagaaat ctaacaactt aaatacacca aatcatggaa agtgtgttta ttttttgcca 2220 tcacaagtga gcagctctaa tcatgctttt tttacaccac agaccaaagc caatgggaac 2280 cctgcctgtt cagcccaggt gcagcatgtc tcgccttcca ttttcccagc tcatttagca 2340 agtgtatcag ctccattgtt accctcagtg gaaagtgtcc taagtccaaa tataccttct 2400 caggataaac atggacaaga tggcatatta tgttcacaaa tggaaaattt gtcttatgct 2460 cccttgccag cacaaatgga agatctaacc aagacagttt tgcctttgaa tattgacagc 2520 ggctcagatc cgtttcttcc tttacccaca gaaaatagct ctctcttctc ttcaccagca 2580 gacagtgaga ataattctgt tttttcccaa ctggaaaata gtacaaatca ttatccctcc 2640 cagacggatg gaaacataaa ttcctctttt ctgaaaggag gcagcagtga aaatggagtt 2700 tttccttccc aagtaagttc tgcagatgac ttcagtagca ccagtgccca accgtctaca 2760 cctaagaaag tgaaaaaaga ccgtggtcga ggcccaaatg ggaaggaaag aaaacccaag 2820 cacaacaaaa gggctaaatg gcctgcgatt atcagggatg ggaaattcat ctgtagcagg 2880 tgttacaggg ctttcaccaa ccccaggtcc ctgggtggac acctgtctaa aaggtcttac 2940 tgcaaaccac tggatggagc agaaatagca caggaacttc tacagaccaa cagacagcct 3000 tccctcctag ctagcatgat tctctccaca agtgcagtaa atatgcaaca gccgcaacag 3060 tctaacttta atccagaaac atgctttaaa gacccatcat tcctgcaact tcttaatgtg 3120 gaaaatcgtc caaccttttt accaagtaca tttccaagat gtgacgtgag taactttaat 3180 gccagtgtta gtcaggaagg cagtgaaatt attaagcagg ctttagaaac tgctggcatt 3240 cccagcacgt ttgagagtgc cgaaatgctt tctcaggttg ttccaatagg cagtgtctcc 3300 gatgcagcac aagtcagtgc agcggggatg ccagggccac ctgtgacacc cttgttacag 3360 actgtttgcc acccaaacac ctcaccatca aaccagaatc aaacgccaaa ttccaaaacc 3420 ctcaaagaat gtaacagttt gcctctcttt acaacaaatg atttactgct aaagactatt 3480 gaaaatggct tgtgctccaa ttcattcagt agttctactg aaccaccaca aaattttacc 3540 aataatagtg cacatgtttc tgttataagt gggcctcaga atacaagatc cagtcatttg 3600 aataaaaaag gaaatagtgc atctaagaag agaaaaaaag ttgctcctgc agtaagtgta 3660 tctaatactt cccaaaatgt gctaccaact gatttaccag tgggccttcc atcgaagaat 3720 cttacagtcc ctgataccaa cacacggtca gacatgaccc cagattgtga acctcgggct 3780 ttggtggaaa atctcacaca gaaattaaat aacattgaca atcatttgtt tataactgat 3840 gtaaaagaga actgtaaagc cagtcttgag ccccatacaa tgttaacccc tttaacatta 3900 aaaacggaaa acggcgattc ccgaatgatg cctttgagtt catgcacacc agtgaattct 3960 gatttgcaga tttctgaaga taatgttatt cagaactttg agaagactct tgaaattatt 4020 aaaactgcta tgaattctca aatacttgag gtaaaaagtg gatctcaggg tactggtgag 4080 acaacacaga atgctcagat aaattacagc atgcaacttc cctcagtaaa ctctatccca 4140 gatagcaagc tgcctgatgc ttctcagtgc tcctctttcc taactgtaat gccaacaaag 4200 tctgaagcat tacataagga ggatcaaata caggacattt tagagggttt gcaaaactta 4260 aaactagaaa atgacacttc tgctccagct tcccagagta tgctaatgaa caaatcagta 4320 gcactgtccc ctactcctac taaatcaact ccaaatattg tagtccagcc agtacccgaa 4380 gtgatacatg ttcagcttaa tgacagagtt aataagccct ttgtgtgtca aaaccaaggc 4440 tgtaactaca gtgctatgac aaaggatgcc ctgtttaaac actatggtaa aatccatcag 4500 tatactccag agatgattct tgaaattaag aagaatcaat taaaatttgc tccatttaaa 4560 tgtgtagtac cttcatgtac caaaacattt acaagaaatt ctaatctccg ggcacactgt 4620 cagttggtgc atcattttac aatagaagaa atggtaaagc taaaaataaa aaggccctat 4680 ggaagaaaat ctcagagtga aaatttgtca tctccacaga ataatcaagt gaagaaacag 4740 ccatccatgg ccgaggaaac aaaaactgag tcacaaccag ccttcaaggt accagcagca 4800 acaggtgatg ctgcacttgc taatgcaaca gtaatcccag aaaaacaact tgcagaaaaa 4860 aaaagtcctg agaaaccaga aagttcttca cagcctgtca catcttctgc tgaacaatat 4920 aatgcaaatc ttgcaaacct aaaaaccaaa ggaaggaaaa ataagaggca tagaaaagaa 4980 aaggaagaaa aacgggaaaa gaatccagtt tcccaggcct ttgaacttcc aacaaaatac 5040 agttcgtaca gaccttactg ctgtgtccac cagggatgct ttgctgcttt tacaatacag 5100 caaaacttga ttcttcatta ccaggctgta cataaatcaa atcttcctac attttctgca 5160 gaggttcaag aggaaagtga agctgttaaa gaaagtgaag aaactgaacc gaaacaatca 5220 atgaaagaat ttaggtgtca ggtgagtgac tgttctagga ttttccaagc aattactggc 5280 ctaatacagc actacatgaa acttcatgaa atgacccccg aggaaattga aagcatgact 5340 gctgctgtgg atgttggcaa atttccatgt gatcagttgg agtgtaagtt gtcttttaca 5400 acatacctga gctatgttgt tcatcttgag gtagaccatg gaattggaac aaggacaagt 5460 aaggcagaag aagatggcat atacaagtgt gactgtgagg gctgtgacag gatatatgcc 5520 actcggtcta atcttctccg acacatcttt aataaacata atgacaagca taaagcccat 5580 ctgattcggc caagaaaatt aactggccag gaaaatatat caagtaaggc aaaccaagaa 5640 aaatcaaagt ctaaacatcg gacaacaaaa cccaacagat ccgggaaaga cggaatgaaa 5700 atgccaaaga caaagcgaaa gaaaaaaagt aatttagaaa acaagagcgc aaaagtagtg 5760 cagattgagg aaaataagcc ttattctcta aagcgtggga agcacgtgta ttccataaag 5820 gctaggaatg atgccttggc agagtgtaca agcaaatttg tgacacagta tccatgtatg 5880 ataaaagggt gtacttcagt cgttacaagt gaaagcaata tcatcagaca ttataagtgt 5940 cataagttgt ccagggcatt tacatcacaa caccgcaaca ttcttattgt ctttaagcga 6000 tatggcaacc cacaaggaag ggaaatctct gagcaagaag atgaaaagaa tgataagaaa 6060 ggtcctgatt catctgtttt agagaaaaat gataactcgg aaccagctgc tgctccacag 6120 gaagaaggta gaaaaggtga aaaggatgag atggatgagt taacagaatt atttattaca 6180 aagttaataa atgaagacag cacaaatgca gaaaaccaag gcaataccac tttaaaggga 6240 aataacgaat ttcaggagca tgattcctgc acatcagaaa gacaaaagcc tggtaatttg 6300 aagagagttt ataaagaaaa aaacactgtg cagagtaaga aacggaagat tgataaaact 6360 gagccagaag tatccttggt ggtaaataat acacggaaag aggaagagcc tgccgtagca 6420 gttcagacca ctgaggagca tcctgcatcc tttgactgga gctccttcaa gcctatggga 6480 tttgaagcat cctttctgaa gtttcttgaa gagtctgcag tgaagcagaa gaaaaatagt 6540 gacagagacc attcaaacag tggaagtaaa agaggatccc attccagctc cagaagacat 6600 gttgataagg ctgctgtggc tggtagcagt catgtgtgtt cctgtaaaga cagtgaaatc 6660 tttgtacagt ttgccaaccc ctcaaagctt cagtgcagtg agaatgtaaa aattgtttta 6720 gacaagactc ttaaagatcg ctctgagctt gtcctaaaac agcttcagga aatgaaacct 6780 actgtcagtc taaaaaaact tgaagtacta tccaatagtc cagataggac tgttttaaaa 6840 gaaatcagta taggtaaagc cacgggcaga gggcagtac 6879 2 2293 PRT Mus musculus 2 Met Leu Tyr Asn Gln Pro Asp Gln Lys Tyr Asp Glu Glu Asn Leu Pro 1 5 10 15 Ile Pro Asn Ser Leu Arg Cys Glu Leu Leu Leu Val Leu Lys Thr Gln 20 25 30 Trp Pro Phe Asp Pro Glu Phe Trp Asp Trp Lys Thr Leu Lys Arg Gln 35 40 45 Cys Leu Ala Leu Met Gly Glu Glu Ala Ser Ile Val Ser Ser Ile Asp 50 55 60 Glu Leu Asn Asp Ser Glu Val Tyr Glu Lys Val Asp Tyr Gln Gly Glu 65 70 75 80 Arg Gly Asp Thr Ser Val Asn Gly Leu Ser Ala Ala Gly Leu Gly Thr 85 90 95 Asp Ser Gly Leu Leu Met Asp Thr Gly Asp Glu Lys Gln Lys Lys Lys 100 105 110 Glu Ile Lys Glu Leu Lys Asp Arg Gly Phe Ile Ser Ala Arg Phe Arg 115 120 125 Asn Trp Gln Ala Tyr Met Gln Tyr Cys Leu Leu Cys Asp Lys Glu Phe 130 135 140 Leu Gly His Arg Ile Val Arg His Ala Gln Lys His Tyr Lys Asp Gly 145 150 155 160 Ile Tyr Ser Cys Pro Ile Cys Ala Lys Asn Phe Asn Ser Lys Asp Ser 165 170 175 Phe Val Pro His Val Thr Leu His Val Lys Gln Ser Ser Lys Glu Arg 180 185 190 Leu Ala Ala Met Lys Pro Leu Arg Arg Leu Gly Arg Pro Pro Lys Ile 195 200 205 Thr Ala Thr His Glu Asn Gln Lys Thr Asn Ile Asn Thr Val Ala Lys 210 215 220 Gln Glu Gln Arg Pro Ile Lys Lys Asn Ser Leu Tyr Ser Thr Asp Phe 225 230 235 240 Ile Val Phe Asn Asp Asn Asp Gly Ser Asp Asp Glu Asn Asp Asp Lys 245 250 255 Asp Lys Ser Tyr Glu Pro Glu Val Ile Pro Val Gln Lys Pro Val Pro 260 265 270 Val Asn Glu Phe Asn Cys Pro Val Thr Phe Cys Lys Lys Gly Phe Lys 275 280 285 Tyr Phe Lys Asn Leu Ile Ala His Val Lys Gly His Lys Asp Ser Glu 290 295 300 Asp Ala Lys Arg Phe Leu Glu Met Gln Ser Lys Lys Val Ile Cys Gln 305 310 315 320 Tyr Cys Arg Arg His Phe Val Ser Val Thr His Leu Asn Asp His Leu 325 330 335 Gln Met His Cys Gly Ser Lys Pro Tyr Ile Cys Ile Gln Met Lys Cys 340 345 350 Lys Ala Gly Phe Asn Ser Tyr Ala Glu Leu Leu Ala His Arg Lys Glu 355 360 365 His Gln Val Phe Arg Ala Lys Cys Leu Phe Pro Lys Cys Gly Arg Ile 370 375 380 Phe Ser Gln Ala Tyr Leu Leu Tyr Asp His Glu Ala Gln His Tyr Asn 385 390 395 400 Thr Tyr Thr Cys Lys Phe Thr Gly Cys Gly Lys Val Tyr Arg Ser Gln 405 410 415 Ser Glu Met Glu Lys His Gln Asp Gly His Ser His Pro Glu Thr Gly 420 425 430 Leu Pro Pro Glu Asp Gln Leu Gln Pro Ser Gly Asn Asp Val Asn Pro 435 440 445 Asp Ser Gly Ala Thr Ala Ala Gly Gly Arg Ser Glu Asn Ser Ile Asp 450 455 460 Lys Asn Leu Gly Ser Asn Arg Ser Ala Asp Trp Glu Lys Asn Arg Ala 465 470 475 480 Glu Pro Ala Val Thr Lys His Gly Gln Ile Ser Ala Ala Glu Leu Arg 485 490 495 Gln Ala Asn Ile Pro Leu Ser Asn Gly Leu Glu Thr Arg Asp Asn Thr 500 505 510 Thr Val Leu Arg Thr Asn Glu Val Ala Val Ser Ile Lys Val Ser Val 515 520 525 Asn His Gly Val Glu Gly Asp Phe Gly Lys Gln Glu Asn Leu Thr Met 530 535 540 Glu Gly Thr Gly Glu Pro Leu Ile Thr Asp Val His Lys Pro Gly Ile 545 550 555 560 Gly Ala Gly Val Gln Leu Cys His Pro Gly Phe Gln Glu Lys Lys Gly 565 570 575 His Glu Cys Leu Asn Glu Ala Gln Asn Ser Leu Ser Asn Ser Glu Ser 580 585 590 Leu Lys Met Asp Asp Leu Asn Pro Gln Ser Leu Glu Arg Gln Val Asn 595 600 605 Thr Leu Met Thr Phe Ser Val Gln Asn Glu Ala Gly Leu Glu Asp Asn 610 615 620 Ser Gln Ile Cys Lys Phe Glu Cys Gly Gly Asp Val Lys Thr Ser Ser 625 630 635 640 Ser Leu Tyr Asp Leu Pro Leu Lys Thr Leu Glu Ser Ile Thr Phe Val 645 650 655 Gln Ser Gln Pro Asp Leu Ser Ser Pro Leu Gly Ser Pro Ser Val Pro 660 665 670 Pro Lys Ala Pro Gly Gln Lys Phe Ser Cys Gln Val Glu Gly Cys Thr 675 680 685 Arg Thr Tyr Asn Ser Ser Gln Ser Ile Gly Lys His Met Lys Thr Ala 690 695 700 His Pro Asp Gln Tyr Ala Ala Phe Lys Leu Gln Arg Lys Thr Lys Lys 705 710 715 720 Gly Gln Lys Ser Asn Asn Leu Asn Thr Pro Asn His Gly Lys Cys Val 725 730 735 Tyr Phe Leu Pro Ser Gln Val Ser Ser Ser Asn His Ala Phe Phe Thr 740 745 750 Pro Gln Thr Lys Ala Asn Gly Asn Pro Ala Cys Ser Ala Gln Val Gln 755 760 765 His Val Ser Pro Ser Ile Phe Pro Ala His Leu Ala Ser Val Ser Ala 770 775 780 Pro Leu Leu Pro Ser Val Glu Ser Val Leu Ser Pro Asn Ile Pro Ser 785 790 795 800 Gln Asp Lys His Gly Gln Asp Gly Ile Leu Cys Ser Gln Met Glu Asn 805 810 815 Leu Ser Tyr Ala Pro Leu Pro Ala Gln Met Glu Asp Leu Thr Lys Thr 820 825 830 Val Leu Pro Leu Asn Ile Asp Ser Gly Ser Asp Pro Phe Leu Pro Leu 835 840 845 Pro Thr Glu Asn Ser Ser Leu Phe Ser Ser Pro Ala Asp Ser Glu Asn 850 855 860 Asn Ser Val Phe Ser Gln Leu Glu Asn Ser Thr Asn His Tyr Pro Ser 865 870 875 880 Gln Thr Asp Gly Asn Ile Asn Ser Ser Phe Leu Lys Gly Gly Ser Ser 885 890 895 Glu Asn Gly Val Phe Pro Ser Gln Val Ser Ser Ala Asp Asp Phe Ser 900 905 910 Ser Thr Ser Ala Gln Pro Ser Thr Pro Lys Lys Val Lys Lys Asp Arg 915 920 925 Gly Arg Gly Pro Asn Gly Lys Glu Arg Lys Pro Lys His Asn Lys Arg 930 935 940 Ala Lys Trp Pro Ala Ile Ile Arg Asp Gly Lys Phe Ile Cys Ser Arg 945 950 955 960 Cys Tyr Arg Ala Phe Thr Asn Pro Arg Ser Leu Gly Gly His Leu Ser 965 970 975 Lys Arg Ser Tyr Cys Lys Pro Leu Asp Gly Ala Glu Ile Ala Gln Glu 980 985 990 Leu Leu Gln Thr Asn Arg Gln Pro Ser Leu Leu Ala Ser Met Ile Leu 995 1000 1005 Ser Thr Ser Ala Val Asn Met Gln Gln Pro Gln Gln Ser Asn Phe 1010 1015 1020 Asn Pro Glu Thr Cys Phe Lys Asp Pro Ser Phe Leu Gln Leu Leu 1025 1030 1035 Asn Val Glu Asn Arg Pro Thr Phe Leu Pro Ser Thr Phe Pro Arg 1040 1045 1050 Cys Asp Val Ser Asn Phe Asn Ala Ser Val Ser Gln Glu Gly Ser 1055 1060 1065 Glu Ile Ile Lys Gln Ala Leu Glu Thr Ala Gly Ile Pro Ser Thr 1070 1075 1080 Phe Glu Ser Ala Glu Met Leu Ser Gln Val Val Pro Ile Gly Ser 1085 1090 1095 Val Ser Asp Ala Ala Gln Val Ser Ala Ala Gly Met Pro Gly Pro 1100 1105 1110 Pro Val Thr Pro Leu Leu Gln Thr Val Cys His Pro Asn Thr Ser 1115 1120 1125 Pro Ser Asn Gln Asn Gln Thr Pro Asn Ser Lys Thr Leu Lys Glu 1130 1135 1140 Cys Asn Ser Leu Pro Leu Phe Thr Thr Asn Asp Leu Leu Leu Lys 1145 1150 1155 Thr Ile Glu Asn Gly Leu Cys Ser Asn Ser Phe Ser Ser Ser Thr 1160 1165 1170 Glu Pro Pro Gln Asn Phe Thr Asn Asn Ser Ala His Val Ser Val 1175 1180 1185 Ile Ser Gly Pro Gln Asn Thr Arg Ser Ser His Leu Asn Lys Lys 1190 1195 1200 Gly Asn Ser Ala Ser Lys Lys Arg Lys Lys Val Ala Pro Ala Val 1205 1210 1215 Ser Val Ser Asn Thr Ser Gln Asn Val Leu Pro Thr Asp Leu Pro 1220 1225 1230 Val Gly Leu Pro Ser Lys Asn Leu Thr Val Pro Asp Thr Asn Thr 1235 1240 1245 Arg Ser Asp Met Thr Pro Asp Cys Glu Pro Arg Ala Leu Val Glu 1250 1255 1260 Asn Leu Thr Gln Lys Leu Asn Asn Ile Asp Asn His Leu Phe Ile 1265 1270 1275 Thr Asp Val Lys Glu Asn Cys Lys Ala Ser Leu Glu Pro His Thr 1280 1285 1290 Met Leu Thr Pro Leu Thr Leu Lys Thr Glu Asn Gly Asp Ser Arg 1295 1300 1305 Met Met Pro Leu Ser Ser Cys Thr Pro Val Asn Ser Asp Leu Gln 1310 1315 1320 Ile Ser Glu Asp Asn Val Ile Gln Asn Phe Glu Lys Thr Leu Glu 1325 1330 1335 Ile Ile Lys Thr Ala Met Asn Ser Gln Ile Leu Glu Val Lys Ser 1340 1345 1350 Gly Ser Gln Gly Thr Gly Glu Thr Thr Gln Asn Ala Gln Ile Asn 1355 1360 1365 Tyr Ser Met Gln Leu Pro Ser Val Asn Ser Ile Pro Asp Ser Lys 1370 1375 1380 Leu Pro Asp Ala Ser Gln Cys Ser Ser Phe Leu Thr Val Met Pro 1385 1390 1395 Thr Lys Ser Glu Ala Leu His Lys Glu Asp Gln Ile Gln Asp Ile 1400 1405 1410 Leu Glu Gly Leu Gln Asn Leu Lys Leu Glu Asn Asp Thr Ser Ala 1415 1420 1425 Pro Ala Ser Gln Ser Met Leu Met Asn Lys Ser Val Ala Leu Ser 1430 1435 1440 Pro Thr Pro Thr Lys Ser Thr Pro Asn Ile Val Val Gln Pro Val 1445 1450 1455 Pro Glu Val Ile His Val Gln Leu Asn Asp Arg Val Asn Lys Pro 1460 1465 1470 Phe Val Cys Gln Asn Gln Gly Cys Asn Tyr Ser Ala Met Thr Lys 1475 1480 1485 Asp Ala Leu Phe Lys His Tyr Gly Lys Ile His Gln Tyr Thr Pro 1490 1495 1500 Glu Met Ile Leu Glu Ile Lys Lys Asn Gln Leu Lys Phe Ala Pro 1505 1510 1515 Phe Lys Cys Val Val Pro Ser Cys Thr Lys Thr Phe Thr Arg Asn 1520 1525 1530 Ser Asn Leu Arg Ala His Cys Gln Leu Val His His Phe Thr Ile 1535 1540 1545 Glu Glu Met Val Lys Leu Lys Ile Lys Arg Pro Tyr Gly Arg Lys 1550 1555 1560 Ser Gln Ser Glu Asn Leu Ser Ser Pro Gln Asn Asn Gln Val Lys 1565 1570 1575 Lys Gln Pro Ser Met Ala Glu Glu Thr Lys Thr Glu Ser Gln Pro 1580 1585 1590 Ala Phe Lys Val Pro Ala Ala Thr Gly Asp Ala Ala Leu Ala Asn 1595 1600 1605 Ala Thr Val Ile Pro Glu Lys Gln Leu Ala Glu Lys Lys Ser Pro 1610 1615 1620 Glu Lys Pro Glu Ser Ser Ser Gln Pro Val Thr Ser Ser Ala Glu 1625 1630 1635 Gln Tyr Asn Ala Asn Leu Ala Asn Leu Lys Thr Lys Gly Arg Lys 1640 1645 1650 Asn Lys Arg His Arg Lys Glu Lys Glu Glu Lys Arg Glu Lys Asn 1655 1660 1665 Pro Val Ser Gln Ala Phe Glu Leu Pro Thr Lys Tyr Ser Ser Tyr 1670 1675 1680 Arg Pro Tyr Cys Cys Val His Gln Gly Cys Phe Ala Ala Phe Thr 1685 1690 1695 Ile Gln Gln Asn Leu Ile Leu His Tyr Gln Ala Val His Lys Ser 1700 1705 1710 Asn Leu Pro Thr Phe Ser Ala Glu Val Gln Glu Glu Ser Glu Ala 1715 1720 1725 Val Lys Glu Ser Glu Glu Thr Glu Pro Lys Gln Ser Met Lys Glu 1730 1735 1740 Phe Arg Cys Gln Val Ser Asp Cys Ser Arg Ile Phe Gln Ala Ile 1745 1750 1755 Thr Gly Leu Ile Gln His Tyr Met Lys Leu His Glu Met Thr Pro 1760 1765 1770 Glu Glu Ile Glu Ser Met Thr Ala Ala Val Asp Val Gly Lys Phe 1775 1780 1785 Pro Cys Asp Gln Leu Glu Cys Lys Leu Ser Phe Thr Thr Tyr Leu 1790 1795 1800 Ser Tyr Val Val His Leu Glu Val Asp His Gly Ile Gly Thr Arg 1805 1810 1815 Thr Ser Lys Ala Glu Glu Asp Gly Ile Tyr Lys Cys Asp Cys Glu 1820 1825 1830 Gly Cys Asp Arg Ile Tyr Ala Thr Arg Ser Asn Leu Leu Arg His 1835 1840 1845 Ile Phe Asn Lys His Asn Asp Lys His Lys Ala His Leu Ile Arg 1850 1855 1860 Pro Arg Lys Leu Thr Gly Gln Glu Asn Ile Ser Ser Lys Ala Asn 1865 1870 1875 Gln Glu Lys Ser Lys Ser Lys His Arg Thr Thr Lys Pro Asn Arg 1880 1885 1890 Ser Gly Lys Asp Gly Met Lys Met Pro Lys Thr Lys Arg Lys Lys 1895 1900 1905 Lys Ser Asn Leu Glu Asn Lys Ser Ala Lys Val Val Gln Ile Glu 1910 1915 1920 Glu Asn Lys Pro Tyr Ser Leu Lys Arg Gly Lys His Val Tyr Ser 1925 1930 1935 Ile Lys Ala Arg Asn Asp Ala Leu Ala Glu Cys Thr Ser Lys Phe 1940 1945 1950 Val Thr Gln Tyr Pro Cys Met Ile Lys Gly Cys Thr Ser Val Val 1955 1960 1965 Thr Ser Glu Ser Asn Ile Ile Arg His Tyr Lys Cys His Lys Leu 1970 1975 1980 Ser Arg Ala Phe Thr Ser Gln His Arg Asn Ile Leu Ile Val Phe 1985 1990 1995 Lys Arg Tyr Gly Asn Pro Gln Gly Arg Glu Ile Ser Glu Gln Glu 2000 2005 2010 Asp Glu Lys Asn Asp Lys Lys Gly Pro Asp Ser Ser Val Leu Glu 2015 2020 2025 Lys Asn Asp Asn Ser Glu Pro Ala Ala Ala Pro Gln Glu Glu Gly 2030 2035 2040 Arg Lys Gly Glu Lys Asp Glu Met Asp Glu Leu Thr Glu Leu Phe 2045 2050 2055 Ile Thr Lys Leu Ile Asn Glu Asp Ser Thr Asn Ala Glu Asn Gln 2060 2065 2070 Gly Asn Thr Thr Leu Lys Gly Asn Asn Glu Phe Gln Glu His Asp 2075 2080 2085 Ser Cys Thr Ser Glu Arg Gln Lys Pro Gly Asn Leu Lys Arg Val 2090 2095 2100 Tyr Lys Glu Lys Asn Thr Val Gln Ser Lys Lys Arg Lys Ile Asp 2105 2110 2115 Lys Thr Glu Pro Glu Val Ser Leu Val Val Asn Asn Thr Arg Lys 2120 2125 2130 Glu Glu Glu Pro Ala Val Ala Val Gln Thr Thr Glu Glu His Pro 2135 2140 2145 Ala Ser Phe Asp Trp Ser Ser Phe Lys Pro Met Gly Phe Glu Ala 2150 2155 2160 Ser Phe Leu Lys Phe Leu Glu Glu Ser Ala Val Lys Gln Lys Lys 2165 2170 2175 Asn Ser Asp Arg Asp His Ser Asn Ser Gly Ser Lys Arg Gly Ser 2180 2185 2190 His Ser Ser Ser Arg Arg His Val Asp Lys Ala Ala Val Ala Gly 2195 2200 2205 Ser Ser His Val Cys Ser Cys Lys Asp Ser Glu Ile Phe Val Gln 2210 2215 2220 Phe Ala Asn Pro Ser Lys Leu Gln Cys Ser Glu Asn Val Lys Ile 2225 2230 2235 Val Leu Asp Lys Thr Leu Lys Asp Arg Ser Glu Leu Val Leu Lys 2240 2245 2250 Gln Leu Gln Glu Met Lys Pro Thr Val Ser Leu Lys Lys Leu Glu 2255 2260 2265 Val Leu Ser Asn Ser Pro Asp Arg Thr Val Leu Lys Glu Ile Ser 2270 2275 2280 Ile Gly Lys Ala Thr Gly Arg Gly Gln Tyr 2285 2290 

I claim:
 1. An isolated nucleic acid comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, or of a degenerate variant of SEQ ID NO:1.
 2. An isolated nucleic acid comprising a sequence that encodes a polypeptide having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or of SEQ ID NO:2 with conservative amino acid substitutions.
 3. A nucleic acid construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1 operably linked to a heterologous flanking sequence.
 4. A nucleic acid construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1 operably linked to a heterologous transcriptional regulatory sequence.
 5. A nucleic acid construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1 operably linked to a heterologous coding sequence.
 6. A host cell comprising the heterologous nucleic acid of claim
 1. 7. A method of detection of a nucleic acid comprising measurement of the extent of hybridization of said nucleic acid to the nucleic acid of claim
 1. 8. A method of controlling the expression of a gene comprising the step of binding a transcriptional regulatory molecule to the nucleic acid construct of claim
 3. 9. An isolated polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or of SEQ ID NO:2 with conservative amino acid substitutions.
 10. A method of controlling the expression of gene products at a multiplicity of loci in the genome of an organism, said method comprising: the site-directed or random mutagenesis of the polypeptide of claim 9 to form an altered polypeptide, said altered polypeptide possessing an affinity for a transcriptional regulatory factor different from the affinity of the polypeptide of claim 9 for said transcriptional regulatory factor; the formation of an assemblage of said transcriptional regulatory factor with said altered polypeptide; and the direction of said expression at said loci by said assemblage.
 11. A method of identifying an agent that changes the level of expression of a growth hormone gene, said method comprising: combining said agent with the nucleic acid construct of claim 5; and observing the resultant change in transcription of said growth hormone gene.
 12. A method of controlling the rate of growth of an organism, said method comprising the introduction of the nucleic acid construct of claim 3 into said organism, said introduction altering the endogenous regulation of the expression of an endogenous growth hormone gene in said organism.
 13. A method of controlling the rate of growth of an animal, said method comprising the introduction of the nucleic acid construct of claim 3 into said animal, said introduction altering the endogenous regulation of the expression of an endogenous growth hormone gene in said animal.
 14. A method of controlling the rate of growth of a vertebrate animal, said method comprising the introduction of the nucleic acid construct of claim 3 into said vertebrate animal, said introduction altering the endogenous regulation of the expression of an endogenous growth hormone gene in said vertebrate animal.
 15. A method of controlling the rate of growth of a mammal, said method comprising the introduction of the nucleic acid construct of claim 3 into said mammal, said introduction altering the endogenous regulation of the expression of an endogenous growth hormone gene in said mammal.
 16. A method of controlling the rate of growth of a mouse, said method comprising the introduction of the nucleic acid construct of claim 3 into said mouse, said introduction altering the endogenous regulation of the expression of an endogenous growth hormone gene in said mouse.
 17. The method of claim 10 wherein the altered polypeptide binds a multiplicity of transcriptional regulatory factors to form the assemblage.
 18. A method of controlling the expression of gene products throughout the entire genome of an organism, said method comprising: the introduction of an alteration to the polypeptide of claim 9 to form an altered polypeptide; the assembly of a multiplicity of transcriptional regulatory factors on the altered polypeptide to form a controllable platform; and the specific targeting of the controllable platform to a plurality of promoters in said genome.
 19. The method of claim 7 wherein the nucleic acid being detected is taken from a human subject and wherein the hybridization measured is compared with the hybridization of another nucleic acid taken from a human subject to the nucleic acid of claim
 1. 20. A method of treating a human patient in whom it is desired to regulate metabolic rate or growth comprising the administration to said patient of a therapeutically effective amount of the nucleic acid of claim
 1. 